Machines for automatically, forming links are conventional. For example U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,004,383; 3,128,028 and 3,354,633 relate to a chain linking machine wherein wire stock is fed to a severing mechanism which cuts the wire into a plurality of wire sections. The machine forms the severed wire sections into U-shaped configurations, stores the U-shaped sections in a magazine in stacked relation and by means including a pusher blade transfers the U-shaped sections to an assembly station where each section is sequentially formed into a link.
Although such machines have been in wide commercial use there are several problems associated with the machines which limit their effectiveness. One of the main problems is the tendency for the stack of formed U-shaped links to become jammed thereby causing downtime of the machine, frequently involving disassembly of various components to remove the jam. Another limitation relates to the range of wire diameters which the machine can effectively accommodate. As the size of wire is decreased the tendency of jamming is increased. For example, when the wire being processed is reduced to approximately 0.016 inch the frequency of jamming becomes a significant limitation and serves as a limit to the size of the wire which the machine can effectively handle. Yet another limitation in the above machines is the tendency of the wire to be marred by the handling, feeding and stacking manipulations involved in processing of the wire. For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,128,028 referred to supra, engagement of gripping bar 40 locking the wire to the feed block 26 as well as the tensioning mechanism 90 having grooves 110 and 113 to apply frictional contact to the wire tend to result in marking or marring of the wire. Once the U-shaped sections are formed they are transferred and fed through a magazine, for example by stripper plate 99, transfer blade 160 and spring 166 as described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,354,633 which tend to further blemish the surface of the wire sections.
One attempt to mitigate the jamming problem of the prior art was to obviate the magazine assembly by placing previously formed U-shaped elements in a bowl feeder which then fed the elements to the forming machine for closure of the link however this still involved the use of guide tracks and escape mechanisms and the like for presenting single elements to the forming machine which also resulted in jamming problems as well as adding significantly to the cost of manufacture due to the requirement of having to premanufacture or purchase the U-shaped elements, handle them, maintain an inventory etc.